


The Worlds of Altora: Chapter 2 (Original Story)

by FoxfireandRain



Series: The Worlds of Altora [3]
Category: Dungeons & Dragons (Roleplaying Game), Dungeons & Dragons - All Media Types, Original Work
Genre: Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Original Universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-27
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:27:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22920208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoxfireandRain/pseuds/FoxfireandRain
Summary: Suddenly finding themselves in Carina's homeland, the party quickly discovers they have more questions than answers about this mysterious girl.
Series: The Worlds of Altora [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1644874
Kudos: 4





	The Worlds of Altora: Chapter 2 (Original Story)

It isn't long before the dense forest parts to reveal the welcome sight of a town. The dirt path they are on leads straight through the center of all the larger buildings, seeming to be the only main road this town has. Alverro, Nessa and Lance all quietly follow behind Carina. Her heavy boot tracks in the dirt road instantly covered up by the others footprints a few paces behind. A rare few people are seen this late at night. Lights are put out and shutters are closed the moment Carina passes by, leaving an eerie feeling in the pit of her companions stomachs. Alverro is the one to break the silence again, breaking off from Nessa and Lance to walk alongside Carina. “I take it you’re not popular around here?” Nessa’s palm smacks her forehead when he blurts this out.

Carina’s cold eyes cut over to look at him, expecting him to back off but instead he grinned at her. She sighs and rolls her eyes. “The Inn is just up ahead, though I doubt they will let any of us rent a room. I mean you all look ridiculous.” She says passing a glance back to the woman crowned in flowers wearing antlers and the man in full plate armor. She lazily points to Alverro’s feet. “You don't even have shoes.” Nessa shyly looks down at her own bare feet, where anklets of stringed shells have gotten dirty from the road. He shrugs still grinning. “And what of you, maiden fair? Why would your own people deny you lodging?” She clenches her jaw and breathes through her nose. “These aren't my people.” She finally manages to say glancing at the tightly shut up homes. “These people are just superstitious is all.” At this he finally holds up his palms in defeat and the grin leaves his face.

Carina stops before a two story log and timber building, one of the few buildings they have seen with any light at all coming from its windows. “This is the Inn.” She states with another sigh and places her hands on her hips. “Lance. You’re up.” He looks at her dumbstruck “Me? What in the world do you expect me to do?” Alverro and Nessa look between the two of them equally confused by Carina calling out Lance, but also curious to hear her plan. “Go in there, and tell whoever is behind the counter that you require two rooms per the ‘Sisters Red’ if they have half a mind they will hand over the keys without question. If they don’t, well… back to the woods we go.” She smirks and gestures for him to go inside. 

Now it’s Lance’s turn to sigh as he accepts her plan and goes inside. He has no idea what she’s talking about, or what this ‘Sisters Red’ is but he can only assume they hold some authority in this land. He approaches the young woman behind the counter and gently clears his throat. She looks up at him with a start not expecting anyone at this hour, and nearly falls out of her seat at the sight of his heavy armor and longsword. “C-can I help you?” she manages to squeak out. Despite feeling bad about it, he takes advantage of her surprise and puts as much authority into his voice as he can. “Yes. I require two rooms per the Sisters Red.” Her eyes go wide and she quickly checks a shadowbox on her desk pulling out two keys. “Yes of course!” She scribbles down the updated room list and then hands him the two keys. “If there is anything else we can do for you please let us know!” He nods and thanks her then goes back outside to his companions. 

“Well?” Alverro inquires as Lance comes back outside. “Did it work?” He frowns “That poor woman about had a heart attack at my request.” Carina swipes a key from his open hand and spins it around her finger. “That’s ‘cause the Sisters Red are the only thing keeping this sad town from being torn to shreds and burned to cinders.” She smirks catching the key in her fist. “You can pretty much do whatever you want around here if you threaten people with their name.” Lance looks at Carina disapprovingly “You made me threaten that woman?” She smirks again “You’re the only one that fits the profile for them, and I didnt make you threaten anyone. If you did that was on you. I simply told you to ask for a room in their name. No harm done. We get a room, and these people get to think they are safer for a night.” She pats his shoulder pauldren then motions for Nessa to follow her as she goes inside the inn.

Lance sighs again and Alverro chuckles. “Pretty clever gotta give her that one.” “If these poor people think we are here to protect them, then tomorrow we will do just that. Carina said these woods are unsafe and the town is being threatened. At first light we will set out and take care of the danger.” “Woah big guy what’s all this ‘we’ stuff?” With a single look from the Knight, Alverro holds up his hands. “Alright, Alright. I’ll help.” With that the two men retire to their room for the night as well. 

⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫⧫

The morning gently comes through the window on a soft beam of sunlight and the smell of cinnamon rising from the main floor of the tavern. Carina slowly opens her eyes, thinking to herself at how odd her dream was that night. As she sits up and finds herself in a tavern room rather than her own home she lets out a deep sigh. This wakes Nessa who yawns loudly and stretches with a smile on her face. Carina narrows her eyes at the girl. How can she be smiling this early in the morning? She sighs again realizing she was stuck in this mess for the foreseeable future. She gets up and smoothes out her clothes looking back at Nessa. “Don’t go anywhere. Don’t even leave this room. Got it?” Nessa holds her hands up defensively “Okay Okay, Good morning to you too Carina.” She grumbles quietly. 

Carina goes out into the hall and knocks on the door the boys were staying in. Alverro opens the door, hair a tangled mess. “Mornin’.” He grins at her. Carina rolls her eyes and looks past him for Lance as she speaks. “You two stay put. I’m going to get you some normal clothes-” She trails off as she catches a glimpse of Lance, only in his trousers at the moment looking over his armor. She had assumed he was physically strong for being a soldier but she hadn’t spared it another thought, until now when practically all of his muscles are on full display in the morning sunlight. She wasn’t aware she was staring until Alverro waves a hand in front of her face. “You good Carina?” She blinks a few times and tries to play it cool by smacking his hand out of her face. “Stay in your room, both of you. Got it?” Alverro smirks “Yes ma’am.” Lance looks up at the doorway as she turns and walks off. His brow knits when he sees her looking flustered. The door shuts again and he looks to Alverro. “What’s upset her this time?” Alverro smirks and gestures to Lance, “You’d better put a shirt on.” He chuckles.

Nessa opens the window and looks out at the town now that she can actually see what it looks like. The roads are mostly dirt paths for horses and carriages. The buildings are mostly log and timber construction. A few people passing by look up at her and mummer to one another. She steps back from the window and shuts it back as she waits for Carina to return. It isn’t too much longer before the woman in question arrives with a set of clothing for the three of them. “Here, this will help you blend in.” Nessa looks over the dull brown and black attire “Must I blend in? Perhaps something in blue? Or green?” Carina groans and walks out to deliver the mens clothing.

Once they have all changed into their new wardrobe they meet downstairs for breakfast. A tray of meats and bread is set before them along with mead. Nessa is the only one to hesitate before the food. Carina eyes her “Don’t tell me…” “I don’t eat meat…” Carina closes her eyes. “Right. Of course you don’t. Well, there’s bread.” She gestures to it and then to the mounted wolf heads all along the walls. “As you can see, this isn’t a harvest town, it’s a hunting town. So you’re not going to find much in the ways of vegetarian meals here. We are going north anyway and the next town on our path happens to be a harvest town so you can stock up on whatever there.” Lance raises a brow “That was surprisingly civil of you Carina.” She narrows her eyes at him “I’m not a villain you know.”

Carina sets her mug down and looks at the three others sitting there. “On the subject however… We have established Lance here is a Knight, what of you two?” Alverro and Nessa look at one another and Alverro motions for Nessa to speak first. “Um, well, I’m what my people call a ‘Druid’ my work mostly just consists of tending to nature and communicating with the spirits that watch over our island.” They all look at her for a long moment trying to understand before Alverro speaks up. “Well I don’t have a fancy role like Knight or Druid. I don’t even have a special job worth mentioning. I’m just a guy doing what I have to in order to survive, just like everyone in my land.” He looks at Carina. “You’ve not told us what it is you do.” He prods. Lance nods. “Ever since your discoveries in that strange room I’ve been wondering that myself.” he adds. 

Carina glances around the room at some of the locals now staring at their table. “Lets not linger here.” Lance picks up on the hostile energy and doesn’t press that she ignored the question. “Your home doesn't seem very welcoming to outsiders Carina.” She starts to speak up but is cut off by a burly man in a blacksmiths apron. “You lot came in with her yeah?” he says accusingly “Then that makes you nothing but trouble too.” he says before any of them can actually say anything. “You best be making your way out.” he folds his arms, Carina already halfway to the door by the time the others rise out of their seats confused. 

Once outside they try to confront her about what had just happened but she holds up a hand cutting them off. “Not here, not now.” she turns on her heel and starts down the dirt path. The three of them look to one another uneasy about the situation but they follow her nonetheless. “I told you these people are superstitious, they choose to fixate on their stories and myths than acknowledge the real danger all around them.” She says trying to swallow her anger. She looks back over her shoulder at the three following her. “Just ignore them. Once we are in a place safe enough to do so, I’ll explain what all this nonsense is about.” The three nod and accept this for now. They burn with questions but understand the situation they find themselves in now doesn't care about their wants and desires.


End file.
